Nineteen novels later, Anne Tyler is zen about starting another one ...

By Candy Gourlay

I can't decide which is more stomach curdling, waiting for a book to come out or starting a new one.

I've just handed in copy edits of my forthcoming novel Shine, which according to Amazon is going to be out on the 5th of September.


The listing's been up for three years, and every time I didn't hand the manuscript in when I said I would, Amazon simply moved the publication date along a few more months.

The End is the Whole Book

I have to exercise now to keep alive and when I'm gasping away in the privacy of my office, I like to listen to Director's Commentaries of my favourite movies.

Today's director's commentary has got to be the best - Finding Nemo not only features the voices of director Andrew Stanton, co-director Lee Unkrich and co-writer Bob Peterson, but cuts away to details and mini documentaries about the film.

Revising a Novel Has Nothing to Do With Courage

By Candy Gourlay

Last week I made this poster for guest blogger Emma Greenwood’s post Keep Calm It’s Only Novel Panic.

What I Learned From Writing My Second Novel

Dig the cool cover by David Dean who
also designed the cover of Tall Story

By Candy Gourlay

How do you finish a second novel?

With difficulty.

Especially if the book is has been listed on bloody Amazon for a YEAR and has a cover and your SENSITIVE, HELPFUL friends keep saying, 'Candy, we're going to pre-order your book!'

And life keeps getting in the way, and new ideas for future books keep sneaking into your brain except how are you ever going to write another book this one is taking so LONG, and you've got to market your OTHER book, and you're afraid of saying no to Dylan Calder and to school visits and your other book is published in paperback to a deafening silence in the United States and you know you've got to DO SOMETHING to make the Americans read it but HOW? (for pity's sake, my non-fellow Americans,  buy it on Amazon) And you've got to visit your mother in the Philippines and the children have inadvertently EATEN the fridge (again!) and blah blah blah BLAH.